NASA Procedural Requirements

NPR 8553.1C Effective Date: July 20, 2020 Expiration Date: July 20, 2025

Subject: NASA Environmental Management System

Responsible Office: Office of Strategic Infrastructure

Chapter 2. Leadership

2.1 Leadership and Commitment

2.1.1 The role of the NASA HQ EMD is to implement applicable requirements of NPD 1000.3 related to Agency-wide environmental issues and initiatives and NPD 8500.1.

2.1.2 The Assistant Administrator for Strategic Infrastructure, as the senior Agency official responsible for providing executive and functional leadership for environmental management, is responsible for the following:

a. Ensuring that the HQ EMS Representative has the responsibility and authority to implement and maintain the HQ EMS across Mission Directorates and Mission Support Offices.

b. Periodically reviewing the HQ EMS for status and viability and, if appropriate, leading the assessment, analysis, and preparation of environmental matters to be considered by the NASA Mission Support Council.

c. Monitoring implementation of recommendations of the NASA Mission Support Council related to the HQ EMS across Mission Directorates and Mission Support Offices.

d. Developing a Declaration of Conformance for the HQ EMS.

2.1.3 NASA HQ EMD is responsible for the following:

a. Establishing and maintaining NASA environmental policy, requirements, and guidance.

b. Defining and maintaining NPR 8553.1, NASA Environmental Management System.

c. Establishing and maintaining implementing instructions for the NASA EMS.

2.1.4 The Center Director ¹ is responsible for the following:

a. Implementing NASA environmental policy and requirements.

b. Defining and documenting the scope of the Center EMS.

c. As applicable, delegating Component Facility environmental management responsibilities to an appropriate Component Facility NASA authority.

d. Appointing an EMS Representative with appropriate authority, background, and training.

e. Providing the authority needed for the EMS Representative to implement and maintain the Center EMS.

f. Providing resources for the effective implementation, operation, and maintenance of the Center EMS.

g. Periodically reviewing the Center EMS for status and viability. (See Chapter 7, Management Review, for details.)

2.1.5 The Center EMS Representative is responsible for the following:

a. Exercising the authority necessary to implement and maintain the Center EMS.

b. Determining and requesting the resources necessary to implement and maintain the Center EMS.

c. Establishing a Center EMS Cross-Functional Team (CFT) representing those organizations that affect environmental aspects or have support roles, including mission organizations and mission support organizations, such as facilities, energy management, vehicle management, logistics, procurement, legal, safety, health, and emergency response. Component Facilities, partners, contractors, and tenants participating in the EMS also will be represented, to the extent established in their contract or agreement.

d. Coordinating implementation of objectives, targets, and associated EMPs with affected Center organizations.

e. Periodically assessing, reviewing, and reporting to Center management on the performance of the Center EMS.

f. Making recommendations to Center management for improvement of the EMS.

2.1.6 Management at each NASA Center is responsible for the following:

a. Ensuring that request originators or the acquisition planning team coordinate with the responsible EMS Representative to determine the applicability of the EMS to Center procurements to satisfy EMS-related requirements of the Federal Acquisition Regulations. When a determination is made that the EMS is applicable, the management office responsible for procurement actions shall ensure that procurement request packages list applicable EMS and environmental requirements.

b. Determining the applicability of the EMS to its tenants, subject to the limitations of tenancy agreements. When a determination is made that the EMS is applicable, Center management will ensure that EMS and environmental requirements for tenants are incorporated into future tenancy agreements.

c. If requested, assisting the HQ EMD in defining the scope of the HQ EMS.

d. Reviewing and providing comments to the HQ EMD on NASA environmental information, policy, requirements, and guidance.

2.1.7 The Component Facility NASA authority shall be responsible for implementation of an EMS that corresponds to the environmental responsibilities delegated by the Center Director. The Component Facility EMS may be separate from or a subset of the Center EMS.

2.1.8 Center management shall ensure that request originators or the acquisition planning team incorporate a requirement for participation in the Center EMS, as determined appropriate, into Center contracts no later than the time of the next competition for the contract.

2.2 Environmental Policy

2.2.1 NPD 8500.1 is NASA's internal environmental policy. This NPD establishes that NASA will maintain compliance with applicable environmental legislation and regulations and with other obligations to which NASA subscribes. It includes a commitment to protection of the environment, prevention of pollution, and continual improvement of NASA's environmental program and commits to incorporate sustainable practices, to the extent practicable, throughout programs, projects, and activities. In addition, it establishes more specific responsibilities for each NASA employee, each NASA organizational element, and appropriate HQ and Center organizations and managers.

2.2.2 NPD 8500.1 is consistent with Policy on Environmental Quality and Control, 14 CFR Subpt. 1216.1 and made available to both interested parties and the NASA community, as appropriate.

2.2.3 Center management shall develop an environmental policy as an element of its EMS and ensure that this policy includes commitments to protection of the environment, continual improvement, prevention of pollution, and compliance with all compliance obligations to which the Center is subject to, as related to its environmental aspects. The following requirements apply to the policy:

a. It is appropriate to the nature, scale, and environmental impacts of the activities, products, and services of the Center.

b. It provides a framework for setting and reviewing environmental objectives and targets.

c. It is communicated to all persons working within the scope of the EMS.

d. It is documented, maintained, and made available to interested parties.

DISTRIBUTION:
NODIS

This document does not bind the public, except as authorized by law or as incorporated into a contract. This document is uncontrolled when printed. Check the NASA Online Directives Information System (NODIS) Library to verify that this is the correct version before use: https://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov.